VARLAMOV Alexander Egorovich

Born in Moscow on November 15, 1801, came from a "merry", ie the nobility of Moldavian. As a child he was passionately fond of music and singing, especially the church, and soon began to play the violin by ear (Russian song). Ten years Varlamov entered a chorister in court chapel. In 1819, Mr.. Varlamov was appointed regent of the court of the Russian Church in The Hague, where she lived while sister of Emperor Alexander I, Anna Pavlovna, consisting in a marriage with the Crown Prince Netherlands. On the theory of musical composition Varlamov, apparently not worked and stayed with what little knowledge that could be brought to them from the chapel, at the time not caring about obschemuzykalnom development of their pets. The Hague and Brussels, then had a beautiful French opera, with artists whose Varlamov made the acquaintance. Perhaps here he made his acquaintance with the art of singing, which gave him the opportunity later to become a good teacher of vocal art. Listening to "The Barber of Seville" by Rossini, . Varlamov came to the special delight of the ingenious use in the final 2 acts of Russian song "On what was a fuss", . that the Italian maestro, . According to Varlamov, . "well, . masterfully brought to the Polish ", . Having a lot of acquaintances, especially among musicians and music lovers, Varlamov, probably then already made a habit of disorderly and dissipated life, which prevented him from subsequently develop much of their composer's talent. In 1823, Mr.. Varlamov returned to Russia. According to some sources, he lived this time in St. Petersburg, on the other, less reliable - in Moscow. In late 1828, Mr.. or early 1829. Varlamov began to work on the secondary flow in the chapel, and presented to Emperor Nicholas I, two cherubic song - the first known to us his work. January 24, 1829, Mr.. He was identified in the chapel in the number of "great singers", and is charged with a duty to teach young singers and learn from them solo parts. In December 1831, Mr.. He was dismissed from service in the chapel, in 1832. took the place of assistant conductor of the Imperial Moscow theaters, and in 1834. received the title of the composer of music in the same theaters. By the beginning of 1833, Mr.. is the appearance in print of his collection of nine songs (including one duet and one trio) with piano accompaniment, on Verstovsky: Music album for 1833 ". Incidentally, . in this book is printed the famous song "Do not you tell me necks, . Mother ', . Varlamov and glorified the name became known in the West, . as a "Russian national song, . well as another very popular song "What otumanilas, . zorenki clear ", . They, . as in other rooms and the collection, . quite clearly have affected the advantages and disadvantages of composing talent Varlamov: sincerity mood, . warmth and intimacy, . obvious melodic gift, . commitment to the characterization, . expressed in a rather diverse and sometimes difficult for the time accompaniment attempts to sound art, . Russian national flavor, . more lively and bright, . than his contemporaries and predecessors Varlamov, . and, . however, . untidy and semi-literate compositional technique, . lack of finishing and consistency of style, . elementary form, . To properly assess the historical significance of the first songs Varlamov need to remember that while we had only the songs the brothers Titov, Alyabiev, Verstovsky, and only slightly higher than were the first romances MI. Glinka. First romances Varlamov took so in what was then our vocal literature prominently and immediately became popular with all music lovers and fans of nationality in its more accessible form. Varlamov has kept the location of the public and to further his career, not representing any significant development, but remained approximately the same, once achieved, a low level of technology and creativity. Varlamov's merit was to promote the national genre and in the preparation of the public to perceive in the future the more serious works of our national art of music. Next to his service and was engaged in teaching music, mostly - singing, often in aristocratic homes. Lessons and works to pay for good, but when the scattered way of life of the composer (who liked a card game, for which he would spend whole nights), he often had to be short of money. Usually in such cases, he was taken to write (always at the piano on which he played mediocre, especially bad reading from a sheet) and immediately sent nearly finished manuscript to the publisher to convert it into hard cash. With such an attitude to the case he could not rise above the level of talented amateur. In 1845, Mr.. Varlamov moved back to St. Petersburg, where he had to live solely by their compositional talents, singing lessons and the annual concerts. Under the influence of lifestyle, sleepless nights playing cards, various sorrows and hardships, health deteriorated, and on Oct. 15, 1848 he died suddenly on the card the evening of his acquaintances. Varlamov has left more than 200 songs (including 42 Russian folk songs, . arranged by them for one voice with piano, . including 4 Little-Russian, . small number of works on 3 votes, . Three pieces for the church choir (cherubic) and three piano pieces (march and the two waltz), . Known of these works: the songs "Red dress", . "Riding a horse" (both served as subjects for violin fantasy Wieniawski "Souvenir de Moscou"), . "Travushka", . "Nightingale", . "What otumanilas", . Angel, . "Song of Ophelia", . "I'm sorry for you", . "No, . doctor, . no, . duets "Swimmers", . "You do not sing" and t, . d. Many of them now (especially in the provinces) readily sung in amateurish clubs, . but music is the song "Do not beat a drum in front of a vague Regiment", . applied to other text ( "You fell victim to a fatal fight"), . has even spread of all-Russia, . Varlamov also belongs to the first Russian "school of singing" (Moscow, . 1840), . first part of which (theoretically) is the remaking of the Paris School Andrade, . two are the others (almost) have an independent nature and provide valuable guidance on the vocal art, . not lost their importance now, . - Son Varlamov, George, was born in 1825, performed in concerts as a singer and wrote several songs in the style of his father. On the other his son, Constantine, cm. Varlamov's daughter, Elena, also a singer and performed by singing (songs). - See. S. Bulich, AE. Varlamov "(" Russian Musical Gazette, 1901, and separately), where indicated, and other literature on Varlamov. S. Bulich.